Good morning! Ladies and gentlemen:

Today we will go and visit the Nanyue Temple, Nanyue
Temple is situated on the northern tip of Nanyue Township and
at the southern foot of Chidi Peak. In a layout of nine rows,
It is the largest and best-preserved ancient palatial
architectural complex of south China. Magnificent and splendid
with resplendent upturned eaves. Inside the east in parallel
to eight Buddhist palaces on the west, It is indeed a wonder
in the history of religion that Taoism. Buddhism and Confucian
culture can co-exist within a single temple.

The exact time of the construction of Nanyue Temple is
unknown. It existed asearly as in the Qin and Han Dynastis.
Originally Located on the summit of Zhurong Peak, The temple
was later moved to the mountain foot to facilitate the
religious activities. The beginning of the Tang Dynasty
witnessed the formal construction of the Heavenly Lord Huo"s
Temple" the "Heavenly Master Temple". So as to enshrine and
worship the Gods of the five sacred mountains, During the Song
Dynasty the immortal of the Hengshan Mountain was revered as
the "Heavenly Master Zhaosheng",as a result the temple was
gradually expanded and enlarged. Since the Tang Dynasty Nanyue
Temple had beed subject to six fires and 16reconstructions all
through the Song. Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. In the 8th
year of Emperor Guangxu"s reign in the Qing Dynasty (1882
A.D), the Imperial Court ordered the rbuilding of Nanyue
Temple. Which had been ruined by lightning, The project was
imitative. Copying the styles of the Imperial Palace. And even
to the present day it is still well preserved.

Fenced with red-brick walls.Nanyue Temple ccupies an area
of some 70.000 square metres. From north to south lies in
sequence nine rows and four courtyards-Lingxing Gate. Kuixing
Tower. Chuan Gate. Pavilion of Imperial Study, Main Hall,
Dwelling Palace and the Northern Rear Exit. The whole
architecture complex stretches across on axis extending from
south to north with its halls linked up together. The winding
corridors and wing-rooms on both sides merge with each other.
Accentuating the magnificence of the stature of the principal
part. On the east side of the main temple there are eight
Taoist palaces. Coordinating with eight Buddhist palaces on
the west side.

The first row is Lingxing Gate. Two gilded Chinese
characters "Mountain Temple" are shining on the white marble
at the top of the gate. The marble gate stands as high as 20
metres with a width of 1.1 metres and is meant to imply that
during the past dynasties all the religious activities were
officiated by real knowledgeable people. The second row is
kuixing Tower. The most perfectly preserved ancient stage in
Human Province.with a breadth of 35metres and a length of 12.
Its fa?ade facing the main palace, the stage is the place
where people hold religious activities and perform local
operas during pilgrimage. Before the tower stands a pair of
2-metre tall stone Kylin (Chinese unicorn). With their furious
eyes widely open. They are like two solemn looking sentinels
guarding the tower.
The pebble path under the Kuixing Tower leads to the third
row-Main Chuan Gate. East and West Gates. The gateway is made
of gray bricks with an awesome depth and height of 15 metres.
The courtyard within is filled with dense cypress trees and
carpeted with green grass. The fourth row is the Pavilion of
Imperial Study. Distinguished by its gilded tiles. Octagonal
doubleeaved roofs and exquisitely-crafted arches. Inside the
pavilion there is a Bixi in the shape of a legendary animal
like tortoise. Legend has it that Bixi is the ninth son of the
dragon. The Bixi carries an imperial stele on which the full
text of On Rebuilding Nanyue Temple was carved in the 47th
year of Kangxi"s reign(1780 A.D.) in the Qing dynasty.

The fifth row is Jiaying Gate. Named after the line from
The Annals of Han-Books of Rites and Joys: "This row is the
place where local magistrates and monks welcomed ritual
officials dispatched from the capital. After the Jiaying Gate
the sixth row comes into view-Tower of Imperial Study. Which
is the storehouse of the collection of imperial calligraphies
.messages and inscribed boards concerning the past emperors"
ritual presentations to the mountain. Sweeet osmanthus ahead
of the tower submerges the building with its refreshing scent
when it blossoms every autumn.

The seventh row is the Main Palace. Surrounded by towering
old trees. Camphor trees planted in the Song Dynasty and
cypress in the Ming Dynasty compete with each other in setting
off the beauty of the upturned double-roofs and the splendour
of the palace. Adding tremendous awe to the Main Palac. As it
stands 29.11 metres, its girandeur rivals that of the Palace
of supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City in Beijing. Inside
the palace there are 72 stone pilliars, standing for the 72
peaks on the Hengshan Mountain. The two huge pillars upholding
the main roofs were cut out of a whole granite. Each weighing
14 tons.

Encircled by the balustrades are 144 relief sculptures
carved out of white marbles. Based on Shanhai Jing . Pillars
on the forefront overlap. Carved on them are 56 historical and
legendary thles . On the square door were carved the Images.
On the square door were carved the Images of the 24 filial
Sons and the Images of the 18 Scholars. Here tourists can get
a rough idea of the age-old Chinese Confucian and Taoist
cultures. Clay statues-Heavenly King Zhaosheng and General Jin
and Wu line up in the palace with their impressively dignified
look, calling forth in tourists a feeling of profound respect.

The eighth row is the dwelling Palacewith double roofs and
in perfect harmony with the whole mountain. This structure
keeps up the architectural style of the Song Dynasty and is
decorated with coloured drawings and patterns whichare popular
among palaces in the North. giving a sense of gorgeousness to
this palace. The ninth row is the Northern Rear Exit. The end
of the axial architecture, with Zhusheng Palace to the right
and Chief God Palace to the left, At the back of the exit. A
path leads farther into the mountain.

Nanyue Temple occupies a prominent position in the history
of ancient Chinese architecture. It carries the grandeur
characterized by palaces in the North. And at the same time it
smacks of the loveliness featured by gardens in the South. The
architectural arrangement of the temple is clearly demarcated
and gently modulated. Strongly indicating the ingenuity and
originality of the craftsmen. Its ground and upper layouts are
like an eternal musical movement with its own overture, main
body and coda. Demonstrating the excellence of ancient Chinese
architecture.

Nanyue Temple carries a profound cultural connotation. It
boasts a large number of clay statues. Wood engravings and
stone carvings, which are all closely linked up with Chinese
tradition and culture. Over 800 dragons of various sizes,
which are the symbol of the Chinese nation.can be found
everwhere in the temple. The carvings on the roof wood and
white marble balustrades are an encyclopedia of ancient
history and mythology. There are fairy tales- "Pan Gu Creating
the Universe." "Hou Yi Shooting the Suns", "Jing Wei Filling
up the Ocean"¡-; real stories about some historical figures-
"Su Wu Shepherding Sheep." "sleeping on sticks and Tasting the
Gallbladder." "Da MO Crossing the Sea"¡- ; legends extolling
filial piety- "Melting the Ice with Body Warmth to Catch
Carps." "Weeping on the Bamboo until it Turns into shoots"¡-
Most of the carvings are the lgends about the earliest
ancestors of Taoist immortals. As early as in the Qing and
Ming Dynasties, clay status, wood engraving and stone carving
were reputed as "the Three Wonders to the South of the Yangtze
River."

All through the dynasties Nanyue Temple has been a
thriving place to hold religious activities both for the
feudal imperial courts and the ordinary people. Every year the
temple greets nearly 1.000.000 pilgrims. The offerings,
presentation, titles and other customs are almost the same as
they were thousands years ago. There are "bowing pilgrimage"
in which the pilgrims bow with each step or with every three
steps , and "hunger pilgrimage" in which the pilgrims bow with
each step or with every three steps. "And hunger pilgrimage"
in which the pilgrims refrain from food during their trip.
More often. Pilgrims would set off in throngs. They wear gray
clothes with a red cloth attached to their chest reading
"Hengshan Mountain Pilgrimage." Holding buring incenses in
hand. Those pious pilgrims chant pilgriming theme" to pray for
the peace of the nation and the wealth of people, making it a
really spectacular scene on the mountain.